See Every Woman Nominated for Best Director in Oscars History

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Dave Benett/Getty; ABC via Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

Dave Benett/Getty; ABC via Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

After the Academy Awards' first ceremony in 1929, it took until 1976 for Lina Wertmüller to be the first woman nominated in the category. Since then,

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Lina Wertmüller, 1976

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02of 10Jane Campion, 1993EverettIt would be 17 years until another woman was nominated; the honor went to Campion for her classicThe Piano.Though she didn’t take home Best Director that year, she did win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and stars Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin (bottom left, then just 11 years old) took home the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards, respectively.

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Jane Campion, 1993

Everett

It would be 17 years until another woman was nominated; the honor went to Campion for her classicThe Piano.Though she didn’t take home Best Director that year, she did win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and stars Holly Hunter and Anna Paquin (bottom left, then just 11 years old) took home the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards, respectively.

03of 10Sofia Coppola, 2003Yoshio Sato/Focus FeaturesTen years later, Coppola joined the exclusive club when she was nominated for the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson favorite,Lost in Translation.Like Campion before her, Coppola — daughter of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola — lost out on Best Director but did win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

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Sofia Coppola, 2003

Yoshio Sato/Focus Features

Ten years later, Coppola joined the exclusive club when she was nominated for the Bill Murray/Scarlett Johansson favorite,Lost in Translation.Like Campion before her, Coppola — daughter of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola — lost out on Best Director but did win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

04of 10Kathryn Bigelow, 2009Jason Merritt/GettyIt was at the 82nd annual Academy Awards when a woman finally won the Best Director Oscar: Bigelow, for her war dramaThe Hurt Locker.“It’s the moment of a lifetime,” Bigelow said in her acceptance speech.

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Kathryn Bigelow, 2009

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It was at the 82nd annual Academy Awards when a woman finally won the Best Director Oscar: Bigelow, for her war dramaThe Hurt Locker.“It’s the moment of a lifetime,” Bigelow said in her acceptance speech.

05of 10Greta Gerwig, 2017Merie Wallace/A24Despite Bigelow’s big moment, it was eight years until another woman was nominated for Best Director, this time Gerwig for the cult hitLady Bird.Though the film had five Oscar nominations — and critical acclaim — it was shut out at the ceremony. “I think that the directors branch [of the Academy] could probably stand to bolster its lady numbers,” GerwigtoldVarietyof the voting pool in 2020.

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Greta Gerwig, 2017

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Despite Bigelow’s big moment, it was eight years until another woman was nominated for Best Director, this time Gerwig for the cult hitLady Bird.Though the film had five Oscar nominations — and critical acclaim — it was shut out at the ceremony. “I think that the directors branch [of the Academy] could probably stand to bolster its lady numbers,” GerwigtoldVarietyof the voting pool in 2020.

06of 10Chloé Zhao, 2021Chris Pizzello-Pool/GettyThe second woman to win Best Director — and first woman of Asian descent to do so — wasNomadland’s Zhao in 2021. In an interview with PEOPLE,Zhao saidshe hoped her win “helps more people like me get to live their dreams.”

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Chloé Zhao, 2021

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The second woman to win Best Director — and first woman of Asian descent to do so — wasNomadland’s Zhao in 2021. In an interview with PEOPLE,Zhao saidshe hoped her win “helps more people like me get to live their dreams.”

07of 10Emerald Fennell, 2021Merie Weismiller Wallace/Focus FeaturesNot only was 2021 special because of Zhao’s win, but it also marked the first time two of the five Best Director nominees were female:Promising Young Womandirector Fennell was up for the honor, too, and took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

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Emerald Fennell, 2021

Merie Weismiller Wallace/Focus Features

Not only was 2021 special because of Zhao’s win, but it also marked the first time two of the five Best Director nominees were female:Promising Young Womandirector Fennell was up for the honor, too, and took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

08of 10Jane Campion, 2022P. Lehman/Future Publishing via GettyAhead of the 2022 ceremony, Campion had already made history as the first woman nominated twice for the directing award. She won forPower of the Dog,the final win in a streak that included directing honors for the film at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Critics' Choice Awards and Directors Guild Awards, in addition to the Silver Lion for best direction at the Venice Film Festival.Campion’s Oscars honor also marked a two-year winning streak for female directors.

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Jane Campion, 2022

P. Lehman/Future Publishing via Getty

Ahead of the 2022 ceremony, Campion had already made history as the first woman nominated twice for the directing award. She won forPower of the Dog,the final win in a streak that included directing honors for the film at the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, Critics' Choice Awards and Directors Guild Awards, in addition to the Silver Lion for best direction at the Venice Film Festival.

Campion’s Oscars honor also marked a two-year winning streak for female directors.

09of 10Justine Triet, 2023John Salangsang/Variety via GettyFrench writer and director Justine Triet was nominated forAnatomy of a Fall,which she also co-wrote; she did not nab the director win that year (that went to Christopher Nolan forOppenheimer) but she still took home a trophy for Best Original Screenplay.Of her nomination,Triet said, “I was surprised because there are no more women beside me. So of course, I’m so, so lucky and very proud of all these things … It was not a dream because I could not imagine.”

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Justine Triet, 2023

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French writer and director Justine Triet was nominated forAnatomy of a Fall,which she also co-wrote; she did not nab the director win that year (that went to Christopher Nolan forOppenheimer) but she still took home a trophy for Best Original Screenplay.

Of her nomination,Triet said, “I was surprised because there are no more women beside me. So of course, I’m so, so lucky and very proud of all these things … It was not a dream because I could not imagine.”

10of 10Coralie Fargeat, 2024Francois Durand/GettyCoralie Fargeat, also from France, was the sole woman nominated in the 2024 slate for her buzzy filmThe Substance.“This is such amazing news, I was screaming out of joy,“she toldGood Morning America. She added of being only the ninth female nominated for the award, “It says a lot about the road we still have to go, and personally I’m extremely proud to be part of these heads and lead. I wanted to be a film maker and director since I was 15. That’s who I am, that’s where I feel free and good and powerful.”

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Coralie Fargeat, 2024

Francois Durand/Getty

Coralie Fargeat, also from France, was the sole woman nominated in the 2024 slate for her buzzy filmThe Substance.

“This is such amazing news, I was screaming out of joy,“she toldGood Morning America. She added of being only the ninth female nominated for the award, “It says a lot about the road we still have to go, and personally I’m extremely proud to be part of these heads and lead. I wanted to be a film maker and director since I was 15. That’s who I am, that’s where I feel free and good and powerful.”

source: people.com